Where can I buy keycaps - now?

[phinix]

I would like to try some keycaps, for example some PBT set, but don't want to wait a year like for most GBs.
Where can I buy some right now?

I'm looking for maybe PBT, or ABS GMK, maybe DCS - never tried those before.
Sometimes even OEM is pretty good, but for those I would go for WASD.

[Dongulator]

your best bet is probably kbdfans "https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps"

[HungerMechanic]

HK Gaming from Amazon, or direct from manufacturer.

KBDFans has some stuff.

MT3 BoW and WoB are available right now on Drop, to be shipped in a day or so.

Tons of Tai Hao and some Ducky and Varmilo keycaps at mechanicalkeyboards.com

[phinix]

Thanks guys.

Those HK Gaming look nice, that Symbiosis set, might go for that one. £40 from Amazon, isn't that too cheap for PBT?
I already have MT3 caps, but now wanted to try something lower, cherry profile is perfect, will try that.

[HungerMechanic]

HK Gaming produces clones of popular sets. This is controversial. But it obviously saves them on development costs, and they have a ready-made marketable product.

It is cheap for PBT, and that's their whole deal. They are mass-producing standardized sets in China. Probably bigger runs than ePBT and other Chinese companies that semi-innovate.

They run from about $39-50 USD typically, and are available on Amazon. It fits that market category of "cheap but good enough to use" that so very few sets could populate just two years ago. It's up to you if you want to make use of a clone manufacturer.

You could go even lower and get no-name PBT sets from AliExpress. They are inspired by popular or historical sets, but often not direct copies. You can see the quality of the keycaps from photos, sometimes. Cool Jazz store and Dongguan PBT and other places. There's a million Dolch sets in Cherry-profile, along with ones named after various fruits, and somewhat novel colourways like "Sweet Technology."

[dingusxmcgee]

I grabbed the Symbiosis style HKgaming caps from Amazon to throw some on a macro pad. Easy choice at that price. They are ok. Be prepared for slightly larger gaps(I think because it’s 5 sided dye sub so they are a bit shrunk). They are also SMOOTH. Zero texture. Smoother than other PBT caps I’ve felt.
But they look decent for the price.

[Riverman]

I've bought quite a few sets from mechnicalkeyboards.com.  They always have quite a few in stock, and there are always more coming in, if you look at their Incoming Products page.  Amazon's been stocking more and more keycaps lately, too.  They have a set  Qisan dye sub PBT keycaps that are very nice (if you like the old school '90s Apple font), and I saw that they have doubleshot PBT keycaps from Mistel, too, in good old white on black and black on white.  Of course there are the usual Chinese knockoffs of various GMK sets, usually done in dye sub or doubleshot PBT.  Some of them are very good for the price, but I can completely understand the whole issue of the design having been ripped off.

[NassimO]

got my set from https://pimpmykeyboard.com/

[phinix]

So I bought that HKgaming Bees/Honey set and have to say it looks good. Very good quality, very thick caps. Funny bit is what people mentioned, these PBT are smooth, like really glossy smooth, instead of usual PBT matt finish.
I wish they had more colors sets options.

[dingusxmcgee]

So I bought that HKgaming Bees/Honey set and have to say it looks good. Very good quality, very thick caps. Funny bit is what people mentioned, these PBT are smooth, like really glossy smooth, instead of usual PBT matt finish.
I wish they had more colors sets options.

Yeah I was surprised. They are smoother than expected for sure. After typing on them for a couple weeks, I don’t really notice it anymore.

[phinix]

So I bought that HKgaming Bees/Honey set and have to say it looks good. Very good quality, very thick caps. Funny bit is what people mentioned, these PBT are smooth, like really glossy smooth, instead of usual PBT matt finish.
I wish they had more colors sets options.

Yeah I was surprised. They are smoother than expected for sure. After typing on them for a couple weeks, I don’t really notice it anymore.

Well, after typing on them for few more weeks, this smoothness started to piss me off 

I'm now considering WASD custom keycaps.

[Riverman]

WASD's custom keycaps are really thin, if that's an issue.  I bought some of their Mac modifiers and F keys, since they're about the only source for keycaps like that.  They're nicely made, but I do wonder how durable the legends are on keycaps that are typed on all the time.

[Kyle_Kun]

your best bet is probably kbdfans "https://kbdfans.com/collections/keycaps"

^ seconding this

[azzipa]

you might also check originative co. (didn't see it mentioned yet) and omnitype (formerly dixiemech). they and other vendors will have extras (GB leftovers) from time to time. and don't forget mechmarket (look for 'selling' tag)

[typo]

I am actually a Tai Hao fan. They run thin though. They are a good bargain. I would not say they are high end. If that might be what the OP is looking for. Never fear though. Amazon has many very god choices. Many, same day during the week. So long as you do not live somewhere as remote as we do. You just need to be careful with the Marketplace on anything. Google the item and check the specs somewhere else and not Alibaba. So if it says PBT 1.5MM just confirm that. I do see a lot of nice Chinese sets that look like fancy stuff for cheap. Although if you will wait a bit longer they are some very good ones on Amazon.